Middle East crisis live: Iran says ‘fundamental’ issues’ still to be resolved with US amid strait of Hormuz impasse
TL;DR
Iran's negotiator stated that while progress has been made in talks with the US, significant gaps remain regarding nuclear issues and the strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated as the US maintains its blockade, leading to attacks on vessels in the vital shipping lane.
Key points
- Iran's negotiator mentions progress in US talks
- Significant gaps remain on nuclear and Hormuz issues
- US maintains blockade of Iranian ports
- IRGC ships attacked vessels in the strait
- Trump warns against blackmail over shipping channel
Mentioned in this story
Welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Saturday that the recent talks with the US had made progress but gaps remained over nuclear issues and the strait of Hormuz. “We have had progress but there is still a big distance between us,” he told state media, referring to talks last weekend. “We made progress in the negotiations, but there are many gaps and some fundamental points remain.”
President Donald Trump said the US was having “very good conversations” with Tehran but warned against “blackmail” over the key shipping channel. He later praised war ally Israel in a social media post, adding that other allies had “shown their true colours in a moment of conflict and stress”.
It comes after Iranian officials reversed the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and reimposed restrictions on the vital shipping lane after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iranian ports.
A UK maritime agency reported that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ships had fired at a tanker as it attempted to pass through the strait on Saturday. Reuters reported an Indian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil had also been attacked while in the waterway.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command said on Saturday that Tehran had restored the strait to its “previous status” and was now “under strict management and control by the armed forces”.
Trump convened a White House Situation Room meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the renewed crisis according to reporting from Axios. A senior US official said that unless there is a breakthrough in peace talks, it appears that the war could reopen within days.
US president Donald Trump arrives at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, on Saturday. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
In other developments:
- After the initial talks between the US and Iran last weekend in Pakistan, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said a second date cannot be set until both sides “have agreed on the framework”.
- Iran’s supreme national security council, the country’s highest decision-making body under the supreme leader, said it is reviewing “new proposals” put forward by the US, according to Iranian media.
- Hezbollah has denied it was involved in the deadly attack against UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, which killed a French soldier. A UN peacekeeper was killed and three others were injured after a patrol came under attack from “non-state actors”, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon said.
- Israeli forces on Saturday began demolishing homes in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil and other border towns where Israeli troops are present, Lebanese state media reported.
- The Israeli military killed two Unicef-contracted truck drivers at a water point in the northern Gaza Strip, forcing the UN agency to suspend its operations in the area, Unicef said.
- Pope Leo XIV said that it is “not in my interest at all” to debate Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace.
- Trump left the White House Saturday afternoon to play golf, despite Iran’s re-closure of the strait of Hormuz in response to the US blockade of Iranian ports.
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Q&A
What are the main issues Iran and the US are negotiating?
The main issues include nuclear concerns and the status of the strait of Hormuz.
What recent actions did Iran take regarding the strait of Hormuz?
Iran reversed the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and reimposed restrictions on the shipping lane.
What did Donald Trump say about US-Iran talks?
Donald Trump described the US conversations with Tehran as 'very good' but cautioned against 'blackmail' over the shipping channel.
What incidents occurred involving vessels in the strait of Hormuz?
IRGC ships fired at a tanker, and an Indian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil was also attacked while navigating the strait.
